Making a Living (1914)

Second viewing; previously viewed on January 6. 2006.

This is about a reporter and a man who keeps getting in his way and thus becomes a source of great annoyance and trouble to him. The reporter witnesses by happenstance a car accident and rushes to cover it. The jobless man, as expected, shows up at the scene of the accident.

Passable silent short comedy. The most interesting aspect of it is probably the way it portrays who is unsympathetic to people in a situation of need (the reporter gives money to the begging man with reluctance and mutters 'bum' after his initial encounter with him). Instead of being rewarded for his moderate generosity, he is punished with continuous setbacks. The film's implicit message seems to be that people without real compassion are always doomed. Or something like that.

Rating: 50 (unchanged)